Mark C.

Glad to hear that things went well. Shudder to think of the damage some places had to deal with. Best of the season was with you!

Pres

Glad there was only minimal damage.

OMG didn't realize it was that close to you.   Glad you're okay.

I hope you get some great shots,  have fun.   Denice

Nice! How big was the halibut?

Taking time off and enjoying the holiday is always nice!

Thanks, Mark. We moved to Loleta so that my now 93-year-old father could stay in his house and won't be moving anywhere as long as he lives. However, we recently bought a small farm in Ohio with one of our sons. He and his family have moved into the house on the property and plan to develop a CSA on it, while we plan to settle on the farm in retirement.  None of us know when that will be, but we want to  iron out all the details we can  now so we can hit the ground running when the time comes and so our son knows what part of the land will eventually have a second house (and driveway extension) on it and can plan accordingly.  

They arrived safe and sound. they are large, I'll get payment on the way. thank you

Did the sponge holder make it in one piece?

Yes it did. My wife found a place for it right away! Very cool, thank you

Me toooo.  We have quite the blizzard going on.  Glad to be home, not on the road, enjoying a warm fire and leftovers.

We are still in the 70's here,  it is suppose to start cooling down this week.   January and February are miserable,  do you really have snow falling or did you buy a snow machine.    Denice

no it snowed  a bit then in am turned to hail then rain.. The snow was enough to snap enough trees to close our major 2 lane road to the east for 3 days.That was about 15 minutes from here at high altitudes

am exhausted just reading this.  you are superman, mark.   and could probably make a gorgeous glaze from kryptonite.

Sounds like an early endorsement!

Pres

We have been getting soaked up here. Had over a foot of rain past couple days. You are more than welcome to it! Time to break out the gum boots, or start a new fashion trend and wear your wetsuit while firing the kilns.  

Our well needs it as does our water storage tanks(6,100 gallons) for summer garden

Not yet tired of rain but I get it.

bet the local fire dept. knows your location so they can ignore lots of reports of FIRE!

The college and art school I attended would have the fire department called on them constantly.   They both started firing at night.   I had a neighbor call on me when I was smoking some pots in a big barrel.  Didn't get a ticket,    I had all of the safety procedures taken care of,  they just asked me to call before I smoked pots again.  Denice

I'm rural and nobody calls-after 48 years firing here wax smoke  and heat is no big deal. The fire dept is in a small town a mile away.New cheif who does not yet know me.

Good to see you're keeping busy. How is the hand rehab going?

I start pinching this week-no restrictions on the lifting with other fingers. wrist is now getting strong again. I'l doing wrist curls with weights. I cannot center much clay into upper palm yet for months so have learned to center using other hand parts and areas. Will throw some 2# pots today-still using hot wax and ice. only a week or two left with rehab.I'm almost out of greenware to its throwing time again

Good to hear...hang in there and before you know it, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner!

Thank you for the reply as I have concern for noticeable arthritis in my hands. I've only been a part-time potter for 8 years, but also a hairstylist and have a family history of arthritis. Both of my thumb joints ache as well as my wrist; fortunately not all at the same time! I don't feel I'm at the point for surgery but it's good to know you'll be able to find relief. I've had carpal tunnel and trigger finger surgery and those were a walk in the park as far as rehab. My other surgeries were longer recoveries and self-induced; a titanium plate and pins from playing roller derby and knee surgery from Ultimate Frisbee. I was back to work in 3 months and on the frisbee field in 5. I live in PA and found a good hand surgeon at Hershey Medical Center, tho I'd travel further for someone like your doctor. You seem like a committed potter, so how do you  plan to spend your rehab, for the sake of sanity?!

I spend every day rehabbing as I cannot make pots or go diving or fishing so its all in on rehab. I did done mention my arthritis as at my age and potting we all have it. E=when They cut you open they scrap it out and its gone for some years in that area. same will be true this time. Carpel tunnel and trigger finger are very fast recovery surgeries. The woman at Yale to see if you think you need hand work is Lisa Lattanza-head of hand surgery dept. I would see her as she is close to you-See will elevauate and only do surgery if you need it .She will not do it if unnecessary-she is commited to finding the issue and getting to whats needed and whats not. Do not expect bedside manner talk just the real deal with your issue. 8 years of pottery should not be to much the holding scissors up can do things.

My hand doc didnt have bedside manner either but that doesn't concern me. Best wishes to you!

They have much tougher panels now and the cost is is very low for a panel-I paid $195 for each 400 watt panel.

That is a  good price,  I think the small replacement blocks were a couple hundred apiece twelve years ago.  It would be nice to do something with all of the sun we get in Kansas.    Denice

Exciting stuff here.  What brand solar panels do you have?   I've been looking at Renogy.     If you don't mind, share more specifics?  The big ground array 40x13 ... is that a shed?   What controller you use?  Where you house the batteries and controller?   AGM batteries?   Thanks.

Looking at 4800 watts for $6500 system ... just looking ... no decision yet.  The 9600 sounds more useful.

Waiting for the governor's office to get me this small grant.   They said after Christmas because I need time to put specifics in my proposal.  Also, the power company said they would send someone out ... in case I wanted to recycle excess power (like you doubt I would have any). Or just to advise, they have someone that has the experience, once I have an outline of exactly what I will buy.

Good to hear!